THE OPPOSITION AND REBELLION STIRRED UP BY THE NEW WAY

As soon as I mentioned the new way in Taipei, it stirred up an opposition. The opposition actually began in 1984 but was not manifested until 1987. From 1984, several people began to spread the rumor that Brother Lee’s ministry was off and that they would not follow any longer. It seems that those few brothers volunteered themselves to be the heroes in the Lord’s recovery with the intention to restore the Lord’s recovery. Hence, they began to contact others to join them in overthrowing Brother Lee’s ministry. They maintained the attitude that they were the heroes to oppose Brother Lee and restore the Lord’s recovery. Therefore, it was not an accidental rebellion or a temporary dissension; rather, there was a long period of fermentation and an overall plan.

In the beginning when I faced that situation, I remained quiet before the Lord, because I was very clear within. I have been walking on this way with Brother Nee, and in these scores of years Brother Nee had laid the foundation. From 1922 to 1952 the Lord’s recovery in mainland China was under the leadership of Brother Nee. Later, when the move of the Lord’s recovery was restricted on the mainland, I was brought overseas by the Lord. Spontaneously, the leadership came upon my shoulders. Everything that I did was absolutely in the same steps with Brother Nee, not only in the light of the truth but also in the aspect of life. I never departed from whatever Brother Nee did. Gradually, the Lord showed us something deeper and higher. In 1987 when that kind of situation was exposed, I did not say anything because within me I was very clear that no one could change the Lord’s recovery which is built upon truth as well as life.

I was very clear concerning what Brother Nee spoke; I also knew very well what I spoke. In 1951 I began to release a publication in Chinese entitled The Ministry of the Word. From that time until 1987 I released a great number of messages. At least three thousand messages were given in America and printed into books. When those people began to oppose me, I checked with myself concerning whether I had erred in the truth. Eventually, however, I could not find any mistake in my leadership of the Lord’s recovery. The opposers alleged, first, that since 1984 I had changed and departed from the way led by Brother Nee, and second, that I exercised control. Concerning the second point, they strongly condemned me and said some very ugly things about me, such as Brother Lee being a king and a pope. When I heard all these things, I did not say anything. I realized that every step concerning the foundation laid by this recovery on the earth and the building in these sixty to seventy years was accurate; no one can touch or change anything.

THE LORD’S VINDICATION

It has been seven years since the turmoil of 1987. I believe that in these seven years the Lord has clearly vindicated His recovery. This was evidenced in the recent conference in Hong Kong, which was altogether the Lord’s own doing. The highest attendance in the conference was over 880, including 263 who were from abroad. That conference in Hong Kong was altogether the Lord’s vindication; it was something carried out by the Lord Himself. Who could have nearly nine hundred people attending the meetings within such a period of time under such a difficult situation? This was the Lord’s vindication.

(A General Outline of God's Economy and the Proper Living of a God-Man, Chapter 6, by Witness Lee)

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Living Stream Ministry publishes the works of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, providing the authoritative and definitive collections of treasures from these two servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. The writings of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee focus on the enjoyment of the divine life, which all the believers possess, and on the building up of the church, the goal of God's work with man in this age.